A Drunk Mission
by Lallen
Summary: Aioria travels tu USA searching for someone, and he end up in a crazy place in the middle of the desert. What is he doing in Burning Man? For Xocowilde's second Fanfic Fest.


**Hello! It's the first time I ever write something in English. I'm a little scared… no, very scared because of that, and I hope you will like this fanfic even if it comes from a crazy idea and its written in a language that it's not my first.**

 **This is written for The Second Fanfic Fest organized by Xocowilde on Tumblr. This time, we had to work on nationalities, traditions or such from different countries.**

 **My challenge was to write a one-shot about Aioria that take place in the United States and I had to speak about a tradition. I decided to speak about a modern tradition, the Burning Man Festival in Black Rock Desert.**

 **So I send Aioria in a mission in the middle of hippieland. My only intention whit this is to entertain you.**

 **A Drunk Mission**

 **By Lallen**

Aioria looked around him, feeling kind of scared. So much people were around him, making so much noise!

The heat was almost unbearable. It reminded him of his years of training, the years without his brother. Of course, when he trained whit him the sun didn't bother him so much. He shook his head trying to stop such depressing thoughts going thru his mind.

It wasn't time to feel sad about the past. He was in a mission. Aioria took breath, still looking around as if that way the answer would appear in front of him

But the truth was that this mission was harder than that, even if it wasn't about fighting. He was in the middle of a desert, in a strange city made of cars, where a lot of people walked, danced, singed, screamed happily… he wasn't in his element, for sure.

Searching for someone in that place was a crazy idea. He understood why every one of his colleagues rejected the mission when Shion assigned it: instead of thinking what could make them doubt so much, he said proudly that he'll go in that mission.

Just go and search someone in the USA.

For a golden saint, who had even visited the underworld… it sounded easy. He had an address in a piece of paper and a name, he could speak a poor english and had enough money . No problem for a saint.

But when he arrived at Reno's airport, and started searching for that person, things were not how he expected them. The crowd made him uneasy and nervous. He walked thru a lot of streets looking for the address, and when he found it, it turned out that the person had moved out. He spent the whole afternoon asking for the person, but nobody knew that name.

He thought it was over, but his pride wouldn't allow him to come back to the sanctuary in this way. So he asked every single neighbor. One of them finally took him to a bar were the barman said he knew the person that use to live in that address.

Aioria was really confused because the barman assured him it was a woman who liked to be called " _Wine_ ".

Aioria thought it was a mistake or a joke, because as far as he knew Shion asked him to look for a man instead of a woman and the name he had definitely wasn't something as stupid as " _Wine_ ". He doubted but finally decided to go looking for her. She was his only clue: Even if she wasn't the person, maybe she could lead him to the right one.

This city was crowded and noisy. He left for some streets on the north, where this " _Wine_ " person supposedly had travelled. There, people send him from one house to another just to finally say that " _Wine_ " was in a big festival in the middle of the desert almost from a week ago.

So when Aioria arrived to this " _Burning Man_ " thing… he was feeling like throwing a lightning plasma. Especially because everyone was looking at him and when he asked for information his accent caused a lot of attention.

He had disguised his armor as if it was just a big bag in his back. Strangely, nobody seemed to pay it much attention. They were looking at him, but not at his luggage.

The desert was full of people.

And what people! Aioria felt like he was in the middle of a rock concert or something. These persons looked particular; every one of them had something weird in their clothing, or flowers in their hairs, or very bizarre clothes. They looked happy and full of curiosity for him.

"This is stupid…" thought Aioria. "…for once, I'm the only one who looks normal, why are they looking at me?"

He had a shirt and jeans. What else could be more normal than that? He looked at a family in front of him, all of them whit psychedelic clothes. Some meters more far, he could swear he had seen naked people.

A guy whit a colorful umbrella approached him whit a very big smile on his face.

—Hey, Where are you from?

Well, he sounded friendly. Some of the persons who looked at both started to walk away.

—Greece…

—No wonder you look like a Greek statue! — and he laughed.

Aioria was stressed, but at the same time he liked to see people happy. Even if it was people that looked so different to him; none of them could even imagine what his house looked like, or the sanctuary; such a different life.

—I'm looking for someone— he said, trying not to sound too nervous. He was anxious to get away from all those curious looks.

—Would you like some help?

—Well—he was a little ashamed for asking— do you know someone named " _Wine_ "?

If some seconds ago nobody were looking at him, now everyone was. The guy of the umbrella smiled even more.

—Our _Spiritual drinker_! Of course! Follow me!

 _Spiritual Drinker_. Of course. This " _Wine_ " person obviously couldn't be someone normal.

He started walking so Aioria followed him, watching all the things they were passing by: This "city" was composed by a lot of parked cars that served as houses. In top of that, all the cars were painted or customized. For Aioria, who lived all his life in a sanctuary full of white classic buildings, this was shocking.

Too many colors. Too many things. Too many differences from one car to another.

As if it was a big city like Athens, people were walking in all directions at the same time. Aioria imagined the tranquility of his own temple. Even if he really wasn't a tranquil person… this was too much.

—Man, I can feel such a deep atmosphere around you…—said a voice near him. The guy who was guiding Aioria shook his head.

—Oh, come on, the poor guy is lost and you're molesting him whit your atmosphere theories!

—He's like a Greek statue! — It was a half-naked girl that Aioria could not see directly. He didn't know what to answer, so he decided just to be polite. –Thank you. Have a nice day.

—What a gentleman! — said the girl happily.

He felt suddenly happy knowing that all these people didn't need to use their cosmos, or have enormous power, to feel happy. How much he envied normal people…

…then he was in front of an enormous iron structure. His guide didn't pay it so much attention, but Aioria stopped just where he was.

All his life he had been living between Greek statues: Gods, powerful warriors, realistic and idealistic representations in White marble. Well, and the strange Buddha statues that Shaka kept in his temple.

This… was…

This was different.

—Greek statue, are you okay?

It was like a big machine. In the middle of it, a sculpture of what seemed to be a… person? And many more structures surrounding it. Aioria was, for the first time in his life, confronted to a modern art statue.

—It looks like when Milo attacked an enemy years ago… his armor ended up just like this— was the only thing he managed to say.

—Wow, I didn't understand that, man, but I think you really got it! That Milo guy is also an artist?

—Ahm… kind of— well, sure Milo would like that description.

—Greece must be such an interesting place!

—…yes, it is. Really… really historic.

A little time after that, and more direct confrontations whit modern art and a group of performance artists, Aioria and his guide arrived in front of a car painted in green, whit a lot of leaves and grapes glued all over it. It was… weird, but coherent in that place.

—So… " _Wine_ " lives here.

—The _Spiritual Drinker_ here receives everyone who needs her.

—I came from Greece just to speak whit her.

—Amazing!

Te door of the car opened. A strange woman was standing in the entry: She had very long curly hair, little rounded glasses in a Brown color and a long dress whit a flowers pattern. A crown of leaves and grapes crowned her head and kept the hair out of her eyes. She was holding a glass of wine in her hand.

—Oh, my…— she said, looking directly at Aioria –It's been at least centuries since I saw one of you.

Aioria opened his eyes, very surprised.

—One of you?

—Come on, enter in my camping car. I'll give you something to refresh you, the sun is burning!

She entered. Aioria doubted for some seconds but finally followed her after saying thanks to his guide. The camping car was big and smelled a lot like incense. Of course, the decoration was full of flowers and so many objects he couldn't identify all of them. A lot of vive colors everywhere too.

And music from the sixties.

Wine finally sat in one of the multiple cushions that where spread all over the place. She handed Aioria a cup full of water.

—Or do you want wine?

—N… no, water is fine, thank you.

—Ha! I knew it from your face. You're not the wine kind of guy, right? Your kind is always unpredictable.

—What do you mean by my kind?

She smiled in a very weird way. Her face was covered whit red blush; she looked totally drunk, but at the same time Aioria had the impression that she was conscious.

Even more than conscious.

—A saint of Athena, of course. Leo, I presume?

—That's… that's right, but how…

—Your cosmos it's so obvious it's hard not to notice it. These poor guys don't know how to feel it, but you can't hide it from a God.

Aioria opened his mouth wide. He felt at the same time very shocked and very happy.

—A God…? A GOD?! You're Dyonissius?!

The girl lifted her shoulders. –Baccus, Dyonissius, Wine… all well for me.

His mission was complete! Well, almost complete! This impossible quest wasn't so impossible after all, even if he had to travel so much and all the trouble to find her! Dyonissius was the person he searched: the name in the paper.

—I… it's strange; I thought I would find you in a sanctuary, or something like that. And… you... You don't really look like a God.

—Oh, why are you surprised? Gods are all around you mortals— she said, smiling in a very strange way—Not all of us have a sanctuary whit a lot of warriors. Some of us like to keep it simple.

The saint had the impression that this person could look directly into his soul. Kind of terrifying. Aioria felt a little ashamed in front of her.

—I'm sorry. I just didn't imagine something like…

—It's boring to reincarnate every time in the same way. Always a man, always a man… I got tired so I decided to do what this beautiful society does every year: Change.

—For a change, it's impressive. You really don't look like the others gods we know.

The woman started drinking from her glass. Then, she looked at the saint like if she was about to explain:

—Look at this modern country: it changes. Everything changes, but your beloved Athena and her sanctuary— she took another slip of her glass— it's the same. It was the same when your predecessor was wearing the armor of Leo. It has the same enemies, the same rules, exactly the same problems it had centuries ago. I guess even your women still wearing those sad masks.

Aioria couldn't help but feeling a Little angry about that. This person talked whit no respect for the sanctuary!

Dyonissius looked at him as if she noticed his angriness.

—Oh, it's not that I have anything against you goddess. My cute sister doesn't cause me any problems. I think the same way about Hades and his big, chaotic underworld. Come on, even you little mortals did something way more organized and beautiful in this desert.

She remained silent a Little moment.

—No, wait. Its better: YOU humans, whit no powers, could do something as strong and perfect every year in this desert. One week, every year.

Dyonissius started laughing. In that moment, Aioria thought she looked almost like a normal human.

—How long have you being in this festival?

She lifted her shoulders. –I don't know. I discovered this place something like twenty years ago… I fell in love. So I started coming every year, whit my camping car.

—…you really don't seem interested in what others gods may be.

—Good observation, lion. Now…— she served herself another cup of wine. –What is an Athena's saint doing here, looking for _wine_?

Aioria thought for himself that maybe this person liked to do stupid wordplays whit the name she had chosen.

—Athena and the great pope send me to make sure there's not another holy war preparing itself.

—Well, not here, at last— said Wine –Here we preach for peace, love and freedom. So Holy Wars, and commerce aren't allowed here.

—So you don't have plans of invading the world or such?

She denied whit her head.

—Not interested. Do you hear what this people say? Peace and Love. –she said, making the sign whit her hands.

Aioria looked serious at her.

–You're not lying to me, right?

—I'm not interested in lying to a mortal either.

Aioria wasn't sure if he could trust that. Wine talked in a strange way: as if at the same time humans were not so important, but very interesting or admirable. Her voice made him uneasy.

—Would you come to Athens whit me to prove it?

—Well, not now. I'm waiting for night to come: for The Burning Man.

Burning Man. It was the name of this festival in the middle of the desert, but Aioria didn't understood what was _Wine_ waiting for.

—Why?

—It's the tradition here, mortal! At the end of the week they burn a giant figure. Stay and you will see. It's very powerful.

The saint wasn't sure of staying there more time.

—But…

—I could think about travelling to Athens.

Aioria was curious. Also, this person was kind… strange, but kind. So he decided to stay as she said. He didn't have anywhere to go, anyway, and it sounded interesting.

—You should bring your armor; everyone will say it's an amazing costume.

—No way.

Wine, that afternoon, took him to visit all the people she said were "The most Interesting people" in Burning Man. The sun was hiding, so now they could walk in the city whit no problems whit the heat.

They visited artists (that made strange structures like the one Aioria thought looked like an attack from Milo), and people whit different projects in the city. Some of them wanted to give Aioria a speech about society (He was saved by Wine in those cases) and others had made gifts and free food.

So when night came, Aioria was still feeling like in another planet, but was charged whit gifts. Now he was eating organic bread, next to Wine who has been carrying a bottle of wine from the beginning of the afternoon.

Aioria discovered that this city had the shape of a **C** letter. A group of cyclists were returning to the city from the desert, and in the middle of everything a lot of people were preparing the giant figure of the man, made in wood.

—This will take a little while, let's sit— said the god… goddess? walking to a place near the figure and sitting directly on the dust. Aioria followed her.

—So, talk to me a little about my sister's sanctuary.

Aioria looked at her.

—I thought you weren't interested.

—I'm not interested in the sanctuary itself, but as for the saints… it's different. The sanctuary is almost like this place: full of interesting, different people. Of course, what I like about this place is that they're not here to fight.

—It's not like we choose to…

—Jut tell me about your companions. I'm curious.

Aioria started talking about them. At first in an awkward way, finding difficult to speak. But soon, he wasn't sure why, he started describing each of the others saints. From Mu to Aphrodite. He even talked about the bronze saints and then he talked about their story.

Wine seemed to find all that information of interest. Maybe the god used his powers to make Aioria talk so much.

—We all are in kind of a crisis right now.

—Really? Why?

—Some of them… they… conspired in the past. Others had motivations not very clear… I'm… not sure.

Wine raised an eyebrow.

—I see. You don't trust them anymore. That's sad.

Again, Wine was seeing right into his soul. Was it because of this place, or because of her powers? He felt a little vulnerable.

—How could I?! I mean… one of them killed my brother, in the past! And… and another one killed the pope and occupied his place and…

—Woaw, relax, Lion. I think you need a glass of wine. Here, take mine! — Wine said, handling him the glass. Aioria looked at it as if it was a terrible enemy.

—No thank you!

—Don't worry; I'll drink from the bottle. You need to calm down.

Wine was watching him whit an intimidating look. Aioria couldn't help but taking the glass. He again looked at it a little before drink it.

—Having so many enemies, Athena's saints should start trusting in each other. Just imagine tomorrow you have another terrible war. Maybe that guy who usurped the pope's place would save your life. Anyway your brother is now alive, no?

—How do you…?

—I feel it. You don't have sadness so big in your shoulders. Not anymore.

He didn't know how to answer that. Gods indeed were strange.

Aioria looked around him, finishing his organic bread whit the glass of wine. All these persons around him were preparing everything for the burning of the statue. Some of them were just preparing themselves for the event; some of them were already sited.

Now it was dark.

Sometime after the little talk between the saint and the god, there was a great silence, and suddenly the feats started. Then, screaming, enthusiastic reactions, and before Aioria asked himself what was going on, suddenly the statue was starting to burn.

Wine also screamed happily.

—Another good year!

They looked up, to the figure burning in the middle of the place. Wine had a big smile in her face. She looked at the saint, and pointed at the burning figures.

—That, human, is what your people do to symbolize they're fighting against evil in any form. They trust each other, they are united to accomplish this moment.

The lion was about to speak, but something in the air made him stop. He could feel something amazing all around him. He looked at all the people celebrating.

—it's like I could feel…

—all the cosmos of this people, right? They don't feel it. Not all of them, at least. And yet it's here.

In the middle of the darkness, the figure was the only important point of light. The Burning Man.

—Tell me, Dyonissius, are you going to The Sanctuary tomorrow?

—Maybe I'll pay a visit to little sis.

—Tomorrow?

—Maybe.

—You should…

—Maybe, mortal, maybe.

She took the last drop of wine from the bottle. She then removed a little of her dress revealing another bottle full of wine that she took in her hands. And she served the saint another glass.

Aioria did spend that night in Burning Man, a little dizzy because of the wine. He woke up next morning on the top of his armor box whit a horrible headache. The violent ringtone of his cell phone finished the work of waking him up.

—Hey, I think this is yours.

Aioria looked up, that guy from last day, the one that took him to Wine, was handling him his phone. It took him some more seconds to react and to awkwardly take the object. He apparently was in Wine's camping car.

—thank you.

—your welcome, Greek statue!

The man went some meters away, occupied in his own business. Aioria took the call.

—Little brother? — was the first thing he heard.

—Oh… hi, Aioros— Aioria found it difficult to speak… he was feeling so sleepy.

—Are you ok? You don't sound well and you didn't take any of our calls last night.

Aioria smiled. His dear brother would never stop acting like he was a child.

—Don't worry, brother, everything is ok.

—you're sure? ... No, Shura, I'm not over protecting him! — Of course, Aioros was talking to another person in the other side of the line. Aioria liked how everybody that he knew was like him, as to technology: They had cell phones, but tried not to use them so much.

And when they used them, it was in an awkward way. Even Milo, who used it a lot to make stupid phone calls to Camus.

—Everything is fine.

—Did you find out something?

—Well… yes, actually, yes— He said. Then he remembered his mission, and looked around searching for that strange "Wine" girl. But he realized she was gone. Her cosmos wasn't anywhere, he couldn't feel it.

—…brother, I must check out something here.

—Huh? What's going on? Are there enemies? No, Shura I swear it's not paranoia!

—No, just… I'll call you later, brother.

—Ok…— of course, Aioros didn't sound convinced. Anyway Aioria hung up, thinking that the fastest he could get out of that crazy place the fastest he could catch that woman and make her travel to the sanctuary as planned.

Out of the camping car, he was about to run as fast as he could when the voice of the weird person from before stopped him.

—Are you looking for Wine?

—ahm…— Aioria remembered the stupid jokes about Wine's chosen name –Well… yes, where is she gone?

The man lifted his shoulders

–Who knows. You can't track a goddess. Spiritual Drinker likes to disappear like that.

Maybe this guy knew more than what Aioria would thought.

—that is a problem…

—Well, she left something for you.

He gave him a piece of paper.

" _Hi, Little mortal (I love saying that)_

 _I'm sorry, but going home just to speak to my beloved sister… would be unnecessary. I'm not interested in all that warriors-control of the world thing. I'm looking for peace and for interesting little mortals like you._

 _Please take to her this letter. It's like a peace compromise._

 _Trust in your companions. Unlike us gods, you can easily do it._

 _Wine (Dyonissius)"_

Aioria smiled. Well, now he had something to bring home. And he was ready to come back. He looked around: all this persons were trying just to make others people change their minds about life and about the world, just by organizing an event like that.

In the end, weren't they doing the same thing that they as saints do?

He decided to help the persons clean up the place. After all, this people were the people he helped protect in the past.

 **The End.**

 **And this was the end of my One-shot! I hope you liked it as much as I did. It was very fun to write and a difficult challenge for me. English is not my first language, as I said.**

 **For a little information:**

 **The Burning Man Festival happens every year, one week between August and September. It's a festival were everyone brings enough food o stuff to survive one week in the middle of the desert, and brings also whatever crosses their minds.**

 **Food, Art, Music, Drugs, etc. It has a lot of influence from the Hippie movement and that ideology. As Wine said, commerce it's not allowed in Burning Man. It's made whit the purpose of changing mentalities, promoting solidarity and freedom.**

 **The festival happens in Black Rock city, a temporary city erected in the Black Rock desert, Nevada, and it's been happening approximately since 1986.**

 **Man I feel so scared!**


End file.
